For most people, betting on football matches or buying a lottery ticket is a harmless way to spend free time. Unfortunately, for some, gambling can become a real obsession and can lead to addiction. This type of addiction is growing around the world.
These are some of the symptoms of gambling addiction
- Concern with gambling and obsession with the next win;
- Failed attempts to stop the game;
- Betting bigger and bigger amounts of money and taking bigger and bigger risks, in order to win;
- Conflict – bets begin to conflict with personal and professional relationships;
- The chase after regaining the losses suffered: some bettors claim that they are only trying to regain the lost money and that they will stop after that;
- Symptoms of “withdrawal” – changing moods, anxiety, irritability when the person is unable to play.
In the UK, there are between 360,000 and 451,000 people with gambling problems, and this number is growing. Today, betting – especially online betting or online gambling like agen bola – is the type of addiction that has the highest growth rate in the world.
As gambling addiction evolves, the affected person’s life revolves around the next game, the next win, in a downward spiral that leads to depression, despair, and feelings of shame and fear.
How do you know you have an addiction to games?
The following test will help you check if you have a gambling problem.
- Do you bet more than you can afford?
- Did you promise to stop or control your game but realized you couldn’t?
- Do you have remorse after playing?
- Have you borrowed money and are having difficulty repaying it?
- Do you have unexplained absences from home or work?
- Do you play more than you planned?
- Do you play to the last penny?
- Are you betting to get rid of worries or troubles?
- Do you feel radical mood swings and feel depressed, nervous or anxious?
- Do you receive complaints about playing from close people?
- After losing money, are you looking to recover your losses immediately through the game?
- Do you bet to earn money to pay off your debts?
If your answer is YES to 4 or more of the previous questions, then you may have a problem with gambling.
Responsible gambling should be the goal of any gambler. This way, it will just be a form of entertainment and will not result to addiction.